Zabel the Temptress (Trozan/Pet Hybrid Playthrough)

[Nola]

Zabel the Temptress

~oOo~

Little to none is known about the love affair wich gave rise to the most influencial Warlock of whole Cairn. While the grand Magus Trozan, despite all risks, mastered the ability of casting down mighty stars from the firmament and in doing so, making the harness of their unbelieveable power granting him honorable reputation, Bysmiel was experimenting with the control of lesser creatures.

Ravens were her favourite brood and she managed the mastery of a stable summoning of two birds at the same time. She transferred their life essence into the aether itself, and through a bargain with the other witch gods only a small amount of energy was needed, to call upon their help.

Trozan and Bysmiel, while working on the enhancement of their abilities, met consistently at the Sunward Spire to exchange progress and share their knowledge. One can only imagine how intense their relationship, accompanied by their magical interests, must have been.

And it has come so, that, in a rainy, thunderous night a lightning strike hit the Sunward Spire while they were locked inside their ritual chamber… Zabel was conceived.

~oOo~

INTRODUCTION

Beause of new players picking up the game, trying to play with pets and doing damage as the player at the same time, i am willing to provide a self-found playthrough diary for the amusement of both, veterans and newbies alike.

I hope you enjoy the ride as i am striding to implement some kind of written entertainment to enrich the all so dry everyday forum life. Maybe one or the other will be inspired to look at the game from a different angle and find alternatives to the high performance seeking cookie-cutter-builds.

THE BUILD - WARLOCK

We will be focusing to hit a balance between player damage and pet offense. Trozan as main spell with Sigils to leach some life and trigger devotions on one hand, Hellhound and Raven on the other.

GOAL

Reaching the end of the journey, an endgame budget setup with the doable content in ultimate will be described in detail. The difficulties it is having in the Rogue Dungeons, its Shattered Realm cap and Crucible viability.
(Celestials will not be tackled)

BUDGET SELF-FOUND BUILD

ENDGAME BUILD

GrimTool
Crucible 150 (last 30sec)

GRIMTOOL LINKS - LEVELING

Level 10
Level 20

[Nola]

NORMAL/VETERAN

Choose Veteran if you like the challenge and slower progress. Players un-experienced with titles a la Diablo should pick Normal for the more forgiving approach.

~ Act (1) - Warden Krieg ~

Accept the first Quest and pick up the Lore Note right before the bridge. First class is Occultist and skill points go straight into Raven till skill-level 13 (shoots 3 projectiles), wich will be reached at level 6. Use Coldstones in weapons to get a decent themed damaging spell. Dont be shy to look around the landslide, picking up some scrap, portaling home to sell items when needed.

Hint: Use “Bonus to…” phrase in the search function when visiting merchants to constantly upgrade your gear. Early on its great to get some pet bonuses going.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - KYZOGG

Kyzogg in the Burial Hill is beaten by aggroing him and moving the Raven nearby to shoot him, all the while you are moving out of his Aether-bombs. Resummen if needed. Drink potions.

First devotion point goes into Primordial to reach the tier one Tsunami Constellation. The shrines till the one in the Burrwitch Estates should give you enough points to fill it up. Dont forget to look in caves for hidden devotion shrines.

The piercing Coldstones combined with the Ravens 3-projectiled Lightnings make an effective method in starting out.

By reaching level 10 choose Arcanist as second class and put the spared skill-points into the mastery bar to reach Iskandras Elemental Exchange, Overload and Trozan’s Sky Shard.

Hint: Olexra’s Flash Freeze is a good alternative of pumping early, for its great area of effect and freezing ability. The components “Searing Ember” Fireblast granted spell goes well with it as it lowers frozen enemies Fire Resistance.

The casting of Ice Spikes and TSS will need usage of energy potions. They are our best friend. Always look to position your Raven so it can hit as many mobs as possible.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - VILOTH THE CORRUPTOR

Study Viloths attack patterns and avoid being hit. Put your Raven behind him while casting Ice Spikes and Sky Shards.

Hint: On your first playthrough you will likely do most side quests and be a bit over-leveled. Nothing to worry about. Enjoy the great design and take some time to read the well written Lore Notes. Game immersion is not just about to run through as fast as possible.

The Flooded Passage is an area with a Monster Infrequent (MI) wich drops from certain monsters or bosses.

Sadly we need dynamites wich we only can get as early as in Act 2. Then we will be able to move those rocks out of our way.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - ANCIENT SHAMBLER

Speaking about rocks… Eldritch energies have been used to bring this Golem to live. Beware his varied attacks. They can inflict quite some pain.

The damage output with TSS is good at bringing this giant down. This flying rock will nearly one-hit myself as i am trying to snap a good picture.

Being out of the cave take the smith quest, Tale of two Blacksmiths, at the nearby camp right under the Burrwitch Outskirts portal. On the left side of the map you can find Balros the Malformed and Hagra the Tormented. Its a quest objective to slay these horrid foes, so you do not want to miss on them.

Securing the Burrwitch Riftgate is not a big deal for us at all. Slowly we are becoming accustomed to all those Aether Corruptions.

How i would love to visit this Sherman’s Arcana store. But since the Grim Dawn and the aetherial plague many businesses have been shut down or broken into pieces. Climbing on the top of the roof i can see the Burrwitch Estates and know there is a cellar in wich Warden Krieg hides…

The Underground transit is a good spot to farm Aether Crystals. The rotting grounds are filled with various Undeads and Aetheric Corruptions.

“I have taken possession of my assigned vessel, the local prison warden. I appeared to him in his bed chamber and proposed the joining. I had anticipated fear and skepticism but these humans are apparently all too ready to enter into any pact they believe will profit them. Krieg is not a particularly strong willed human but he is persistent and constantly scratches at my consciousness. I have him under control though. Krieg’s position as an incarcerator of other humans will greatly facilitate our efforts. His expansive dwelling has a massive cellar that I believe we can use to fashion an underground transit to conceal our activities and the transport of bodies. There is much work ahead to prepare for our Glorious Dawn but I rather enjoy this physical body. It has many advantages.” - Warden Krieg’s Journal

Exploring the depths of Warden Krieg’s hiddden Laboratory and Lore Notes leaves me with a cold shower at my back. Let us hurry up and slay this monster.

Ok… when we open that door, there is no coming back. Krieg is a few meters away from us…
Having got some levels by the time, we have the Hellhound at our disposal. Dont be shy to use his exploding ability when resummoned as often as you can. Against hard bosses only resummon him after he explodes.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - WARDEN KRIEG

Warden Krieg is especially dangerous on Veteran difficulty. But if you are well trained, connected some good synergies in your skills, are fast with drinking health potions and able to outmaneuver some deadly attacks, you will be victorious.

His aetheric AoE stomp nearly wipes your pets and yourself included. Avoid being hit by his projectiles and his wave attack. When he is charging at you, try to re-position instantly. Use the table in the room to your favor.

Finally the foe has been defeated! Lets return to Captain John Bourbon to tell him about the good news he is gladly awaiting.

Hint: Warden’s Judgement (MI) mace bonuses to pets (55 flat Aether damage, Aether and Physical Resistance) is a pretty good upgrade that early on. Take it and wield it to show our future enemies not to fool with us.

~ Act (2) - Darius Cronley ~

Having repaired the bridge we head towards Edmund “Shanks” Doyle base to crush him and his gang members. Darius Cronley persuaded these bandits to follow his corrupt cause. We must stop them at every price.

Panicked by the Grim Dawn this man wants to burn his house with his family inside. What a lucky day we were just around the corner to tell him about Devil’s Crossing. Hope is still not lost.

Taking a short pause to rest and gather up some strength. The clear water soothes my mind and the warmth of the sun lets me dream of another day.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - BAROS WRADLITH, LORD OF THE LOST SOULS

Possessing charged auto attacks (AA), a ghostly nova and projectiles, Baros makes a challenging minor boss encounter.

The Spined Cave on the right side nearby the camp offers a devotion shrine to uncorrupt. Beware those Hero Ghosts at the shrine display a good resistance against our Cold attacks.

We found the Arkovian Foothills camp. There is a merchant to sell our goods and we can take some quests.

Those pesky Undeads get their bones broken by shattered ice and the bites of our Hellhound.

This brother is casting his last breath and he gives us his amulet. If we dont give it back at the camp, we can get our first Relic wich boosts our physique, cunning and spirit. Lie when giving the quest back, its according to the will of our lost brother. Do not worry, there is no harm involved.

We make four runs into the Staunten Mine to gather some dynamite. We need it to open a blockade situated north and the one way back inside the Flooded Passage. Do you remember?

Nicholas Balthazar is a minor boss mob wich should not be that hard. Kite back and do not unerestimate his Force Wave attack.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - HIGH PRIEST ROLDERATHIS

Getting rid of the rocks back at the Flooded Passage enables us to get into the Sunken Reliquary. Rolderathis, this freezy Priest is resistent to our Cold attacks. Summoning his skeletal servants makes him annoying to deal with. He has dangerous freezing spells wich can drag the fight to take some time.

Ice against Ice? The High Priests health is dwindling down as snow melting in a winter night…

His Tome dropped on the first try and got actually decent rolls despite not being rare ones.

Hint: You can restart the game session, farm again and look for one with pet bonuses. Its not really needed but dedicated adventures like to be well equipped at every stage of the game.

On the right side right before Old Arkovia there is a Cronley gangster trolling a poor women. Being a lady myself i cant stand that greedy bastard…

So i have beaten his ass with my Warden’s Judgement.

Old Arkovia is owned by Rovers. This Faction can sell us fine gear with pet bonuses. We just need some time to work on our connection. Take their offered quests.

Hint: They sell valueable Beast Tinctures to buff your pets for a short amount of time. This is always good to have if playing with pets.

The Beastskin Gulgoth wants to be seen slain by the Rovers. His attacks are strong and deadly. Beware and move when needed.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - ACEDIAN ALDRIC, CHAMPION OF THE PIT

Storm Box, Stun Jacks and Vindictive Flame makes this newly added foe a brutal force to be reckoned with.

Must admit i died on the first try. More respect was served the second time and we took the fight with a clever out of the pit kiting.

Destroying their forges to shorten their weapon supply draws much attention from Cronley’s Gang. Step away from their Black Water Cocktails and you are good to go.

Hint: This is a good area to farm dynamite. Making runs around the forges nets you a fast supply if needed.

Finally we found the entrance to Darius Cronley’s hideout.

Fighting my way through mutated mercenaries i arrive at this former Devil’s Crossing ihabitant. Well aimed Trozan Sky Shards make short process of this aetheric madman. May his soul rest in peace.

Triggering this Totem spawns a nice crew of Reanimators wishing to be slain. I am in for the loot.

The aetheric energies intensify and i can feel Darius Cronley’s presence behind this bars of steel.

~oOo~

BOSS ENCOUNTER - DARIUS CRONLEY

Darius has various Aether based attacks, a shield wich makes him immune for a short time and spawns Aether Crystalls wich spawn more enemies. If you are unprepaired you will fail.

Keep moving around to avoid ground damage and destroy his Aether Crystalls as fast as possible. Damage Cronley when his Mirror Shield is down.

Lastly we can save children lifes after the demanding fight. Lets portal those two to Devil’s Crossing. There is a family awaiting them.

[Nola]

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[Nola]

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[Nola]

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[Nola]

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[Nola]

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[Nola]

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[Knife]

Loving the diary man, keep this going!

[Monceaux]

Is the concept still alive ? I really want to see it working

[Maya]

Is the concept still alive ? I really want to see it working

All I know is that I am recommending this to people who are asking for Pet Hybrids and running away with their stash of icecream :3